New York Jets Hiring Decisions Reportedly Informed by Madden NFL Player Ratings

by

Summary

  • According to sources, the New York Jets avoided trading for Jerry Jeudy due to his low Madden NFL rating, despite interest.
  • Woody Johnson, Jets owner, reportedly based trade decisions on Madden NFL ratings, impacting player acquisitions.
  • Madden NFL ratings may not always align with player performance, leading to controversial decisions.

As a longtime football enthusiast and video game aficionado, I find myself both amused and perplexed by the recent revelation that the New York Jets supposedly used Madden NFL ratings as a deciding factor in player acquisitions. While I’ve certainly spent countless hours immersed in the virtual world of Madden NFL, I can’t help but wonder how Woody Johnson, owner of the Jets, has managed to translate those pixelated player ratings into real-life football strategy.

It’s said that the New York Jets decided against signing ex-Denver Broncos wide receiver Jerry Jeudy, despite initial discussions about a trade, potentially due to their involvement with “Madden NFL”, a football simulation game series developed by EA (Electronic Arts), which takes its name from John Madden, a well-known coach and commentator in the sport.

Established back in 1988, the Madden NFL series, a long-standing intellectual property of EA Sports, releases a new game annually, with the upcoming one set for August 2024 on consoles and PC. While Madden NFL 25 had impressive sales upon release, it was generally received with moderate enthusiasm. One of the game’s key elements is player ratings, which reflect a footballer’s performance effectiveness in the game, making it easier for players to pick out top performers. Intriguingly, there have been suggestions that these player ratings might have played a role in some real-life acquisition talks within North American sports.

It appears that Woody Johnson, owner of the New York Jets, declined a trade for the 25-year-old wide receiver Jerry Jeudy due to his relatively low Madden NFL rating. This decision reportedly halted negotiations between the Jets and Jeudy’s former team, the Denver Broncos, despite being deeply involved in discussions and expressing personal interest. The Broncos were reportedly surprised by this reason for not completing the trade. In the end, Jeudy, rated 84 in Madden NFL 25 at the time, was traded to the Cleveland Browns instead.

New York Jets Supposedly Referenced Madden NFL Ratings for Player Acquisitions

The report additionally brought up the fact that Johnson didn’t just use Madden NFL ratings once when forming opinions on potential acquisitions for the New York Jets. Previously, it was reported that the owner delayed a move for free agent John Simpson due to the player’s statistic in the game. Recently, Jerry Jeudy disputed claims suggesting his failed move to the Jets was influenced by Madden NFL, describing them as potentially false during a press conference.

In Madden NFL, the developers strive to make the game as authentic as possible. However, there are situations when the performance of a player within the game doesn’t match their real-life ability. For instance, with new Cleveland Browns recruit Jeudy currently playing exceptionally well in reality, it seems like one of those instances where fans might think that the player deserves a higher in-game rating compared to what EA assigned them.

Read More

2024-12-20 16:23